It’s the early 2000s, and Roby Sharon-Zipser just wants his internet connection to cover his whole house. He’s on his hands and knees, trying to thread a cable through a hole in the floor, caked in white dust when he realises... I need some help! 

In that moment, the idea for hipages was born. And over 20 years later, it’s transformed from a Yellow Pages-style home improvement directory to an app-based marketplace, connecting tradies and homeowners right across the country. 

Roby explains how playing the long game has positioned it as one of the go-to names in its field.  

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The Business Of podcast is brought to you by the University of New South Wales Business School, produced with Deadset Studios.  

This episode is hosted by Dr Juliet Bourke, with insights from Professor Barney Tan. 

The transcript and show notes can be found on our website here. 

Want to follow the latest research and news from UNSW Business School and AGSM @ UNSW Business School? Subscribe to BusinessThink and follow UNSW Business School and AGSM on LinkedIn.  

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. 

It’s the early 2000s, and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/roby-sharon-zipser-8417401b/?originalSubdomain=au">Roby Sharon-Zipser</a> just wants his internet connection to cover his whole house. He’s on his hands and knees, trying to thread a cable through a hole in the floor, caked in white dust when he realises... I need some help! 
In that moment, the idea for <a href="https://hipages.com.au/">hipages</a> was born. And over 20 years later, it’s transformed from a Yellow Pages-style home improvement directory to an app-based marketplace, connecting tradies and homeowners right across the country. 
Roby explains how playing the long game has positioned it as one of the go-to names in its field.  
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The Business Of podcast is brought to you by the University of New South Wales Business School, produced with <a href="http://deadsetstudios.com/">Deadset Studios</a>.  
This episode is hosted by <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/staff/juliet-bourke">Dr Juliet Bourke</a>, with insights from <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/staff/barney-tan">Professor Barney Tan</a>. 
The transcript and show notes can be found on our website <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/business/our-schools/agsm/about-us/the-business-of-podcast">here</a>. 
Want to follow the latest research and news from UNSW Business School and AGSM @ UNSW Business School? Subscribe to <a href="https://www.businessthink.unsw.edu.au/">BusinessThink</a> and follow <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/school/3274515/">UNSW Business School</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/school/agsm-nswbusinessschool/">AGSM</a> on LinkedIn.  
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made.

As the pace of organisational change speeds up, a new generation of leaders is emerging who see the world differently. They are finding ways to grapple with complexity and make an impact in an accelerating world. What can we learn from them? In The Business Of, a podcast from UNSW Business School, a diverse group of business leaders from the corporate, start-up, government, and for-purpose sectors share their lived experiences in building businesses that can ‘do well’ and ‘do good’. 

Host Dr Juliet Bourke, a UNSW Professor of Practice in the School of Management and Governance, speaks with leaders from a range of industries unpacking the complexities of business of art, sports, AI, climate change and more.  

Wherever business practices are shifting UNSW researchers and academics are there, and in The Business Of you also learn about the global forces, competing interests and new trends influencing everyday decisions.  

Professor Frederik Anseel, Senior Deputy Dean at the UNSW Business School will help you make sense of all the moving parts through the latest research at the world’s top universities. He breaks down how that research equips leaders to make better decisions, build better teams and make a real impact. 

If you’re curious about the way business works, The Business Of can introduce you to contemporary industry practices and take you inside the minds of leaders as they figure out what’s next.  

Find out more - 

https://www.unsw.edu.au/business/our-schools/agsm/about-us/the-business-of-podcast

https://www.businessthink.unsw.edu.au/

As the pace of organisational change speeds up, a new generation of leaders is emerging who see the world differently. They are finding ways to grapple with complexity and make an impact in an accelerating world. What can we learn from them? In The Business Of, a podcast from UNSW Business School, a diverse group of business leaders from the corporate, start-up, government, and for-purpose sectors share their lived experiences in building businesses that can ‘do well’ and ‘do good’. 
Host <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/staff/juliet-bourke">Dr Juliet Bourke</a>, a UNSW Professor of Practice in the School of Management and Governance, speaks with leaders from a range of industries unpacking the complexities of business of art, sports, AI, climate change and more.  
Wherever business practices are shifting UNSW researchers and academics are there, and in The Business Of you also learn about the global forces, competing interests and new trends influencing everyday decisions.  
<a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/staff/frederik-anseel">Professor Frederik Anseel</a>, Senior Deputy Dean at the UNSW Business School will help you make sense of all the moving parts through the latest research at the world’s top universities. He breaks down how that research equips leaders to make better decisions, build better teams and make a real impact. 
If you’re curious about the way business works, The Business Of can introduce you to contemporary industry practices and take you inside the minds of leaders as they figure out what’s next.  
Find out more - 
<a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/business/our-schools/agsm/about-us/the-business-of-podcast">https://www.unsw.edu.au/business/our-schools/agsm/about-us/the-business-of-podcast</a>   
<a href="https://www.businessthink.unsw.edu.au/">https://www.businessthink.unsw.edu.au/</a>

AGSM's 'The Business Of’ podcast examines the possibilities of transformation from the perspective of different industries.

The Business Of

As the pace of organisational change speeds up, a new generation of leaders is emerging who see the world differently. They are finding ways to grapple with complexity and make an impact in an accelerating world. What can we learn from them? In The Business Of, a podcast from UNSW Business School, a diverse group of business leaders from the corporate, start-up, government, and for-purpose sectors share their lived experiences in building businesses that can ‘do well’ and ‘do good’. 

Host Dr Juliet Bourke, a UNSW Professor of Practice in the School of Management and Governance, speaks with leaders from a range of industries unpacking the complexities of business of art, sports, AI, climate change and more.  

Wherever business practices are shifting UNSW researchers and academics are there, and in The Business Of you also learn about the global forces, competing interests and new trends influencing everyday decisions.  

Professor Frederik Anseel, Senior Deputy Dean at the UNSW Business School will help you make sense of all the moving parts through the latest research at the world’s top universities. He breaks down how that research equips leaders to make better decisions, build better teams and make a real impact. 

If you’re curious about the way business works, The Business Of can introduce you to contemporary industry practices and take you inside the minds of leaders as they figure out what’s next.  

Find out more - 

https://www.unsw.edu.au/business/our-schools/agsm/about-us/the-business-of-podcast 

https://www.businessthink.unsw.edu.au/

As the pace of organisational change speeds up, a new generation of leaders is emerging who see the world differently. They are finding ways to grapple with complexity and make an impact in an accelerating world. What can we learn from them? In The Business Of, a podcast from UNSW Business School, a diverse group of business leaders from the corporate, start-up, government, and for-purpose sectors share their lived experiences in building businesses that can ‘do well’ and ‘do good’. 
Host <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/staff/juliet-bourke">Dr Juliet Bourke</a>, a UNSW Professor of Practice in the School of Management and Governance, speaks with leaders from a range of industries unpacking the complexities of business of art, sports, AI, climate change and more.  
Wherever business practices are shifting UNSW researchers and academics are there, and in The Business Of you also learn about the global forces, competing interests and new trends influencing everyday decisions.  
<a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/staff/frederik-anseel">Professor Frederik Anseel</a>, Senior Deputy Dean at the UNSW Business School will help you make sense of all the moving parts through the latest research at the world’s top universities. He breaks down how that research equips leaders to make better decisions, build better teams and make a real impact. 
If you’re curious about the way business works, The Business Of can introduce you to contemporary industry practices and take you inside the minds of leaders as they figure out what’s next.  
Find out more - 
<a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/business/our-schools/agsm/about-us/the-business-of-podcast">https://www.unsw.edu.au/business/our-schools/agsm/about-us/the-business-of-podcast </a>  
<a href="https://www.businessthink.unsw.edu.au/">https://www.businessthink.unsw.edu.au/</a>

Robyn Sharon-Zipser, CEO of Hipages, shares why he founded the online platform 20 years ago, and how he grew the start-up into an ASX listed company.

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